1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for editing data, and in particular to a system for editing photographing conditions for an image acquiring display apparatus used for diagnosing medical image data, a method for editing photographing conditions by using the image acquiring display apparatus, and a program for arranging photographing conditions.
2. Description of Related Art
A radiographic image acquired by using radiation such as X-ray or the like, has been used widely as a medical image for diagnosing diseases. For example, so-called radiograph which is developed by irradiating X-ray which has transmitted through an object to a phosphor layer (a phosphor screen), and irradiating visible rays generated on the phosphor layer to a film using a silver salt as the same as an usual photograph, has been used as a medical image, in earlier development.
However, recently, a radiographic image converting method has been used, the method for directly extracting the radiographic image as a digital signal by using a radiation detector such as a stimulable phosphor substance, a FPD (Flat Panel Detector) or the like, instead of the film coated with the silver salt. Further, in order to convert the radiographic image acquired by the above-described radiographic image converting method to an image more suitable for the diagnosis, various image processing has been performed to the radiographic image.
More specifically, for example, each of U.S. Pat. No. 3,859,527 and Japanese Patent Application Publication (Unexamined) No. Tokukai-sho 55-12144 discloses a radiographic image converting method which uses a stimulable phosphor substance, and uses visible rays or infrared rays as the stimulative excitation light. The radiographic image converting method uses a radiographic image converting panel wherein a stimulable phosphor layer is formed on a support material. According to the radiographic image converting method, radiation which has transmitted through an object is irradiated to the stimulable phosphor layer, a radiation energy corresponding to a quantity of radiation transmitting through each part of the object is stored in the stimulable phosphor layer, and thereby a latent image is formed on the stimulable phosphor layer. Thereafter, when the stimulable phosphor layer is scanned by the stimulative excitation light such as a predetermined wavelength laser light or the like, the radiation energy stored is emitted as the stimulative light. Therefore, the stimulative light is electrically converted by using a photoelectric conversion element such as a photo-multiplier or the like, and taken out as an electric signal.
The radiographic image diagnostic system which uses the stimulable phosphor substance is commonly called a computed radiographer (CR). The radiographic image diagnostic system can be roughly classified into an erect/supine exclusive type system in which the stimulable phosphor substance is incorporated in a reading apparatus, and a cassette type system using a cassette in which the stimulable phosphor substance is incorporated therein and which can be carried and a reading apparatus for reading the phosphor substance out from the cassette.
In case of photographing the radiographic image by any one of the above-described type radiographic image diagnostic systems, it is necessary to select a suitable photographing condition among a large number of photographing conditions regarding a body part, a photographing direction or the like. The photographing condition is selected by a controller which usually inputs a patient information thereby or displays photographed image data thereon.
The large number of photographing conditions are classified into a plurality of pages, and displayed for every page on a display of the controller. Then, when the page including a desired photographing condition is searched by going to a previous page or a next page in order, with a “previous page” button or a “next page” button, a photographing condition suitable for the photographing of the patient is selected among the photographing conditions included in the searched page and displayed on the display. Further, in case there are an extremely large number of photographing conditions, there is a case the photographing conditions has a hierarchical structure in order to arrange the photographing conditions. In the case, it is possible to find the desired photographing condition by selecting the choices for every hierarchy.
In order to select the photographing condition in the radiographic image diagnostic system, according to the method for going a plurality of pages in order, searing the page including the desired photographing condition and selecting the desired photographing condition among the photographing conditions included in the searched pages, there are problems that the more key operations are required to select the photographing condition included in the following page, and it is impossible to select the desired photographing condition more rapidly, as the photographing conditions increase. Further, the possibility of making an error in selecting the desired photographing condition increases, as the more key operations are required.
Further, according to the method for selecting any one of the choices of the photographing conditions having the hierarchical structure, for every hierarchy, and extracting the desired photographing condition, the number of hierarchies increases, and the number of key operations to find the desired photographing condition increases, as the number of photographing conditions increases. Further, because there is a large difference in the frequency of selecting the photographing conditions in the radiographic image diagnostic system, some photographing conditions are selected extremely frequently, and others are not almost selected. However, in case the photographing conditions have the hierarchical structure, the predetermined number of key operations are required to select the desired photographing condition, regardless of the frequency of selecting the photographing conditions. Therefore, there is a problem it takes the same time to select the photographing condition which is selected frequently, as the time to select the photographing condition which is not almost selected.
Because the above-described radiographic image diagnostic system is used in a medical field such as a hospital or the like, there is a demand for diagnosing just after photographing, and the rapidity is required of the whole system. Further, because there is a case the radiographic image diagnostic system is used in a group medical checkup, the more rapidity is required of the whole system. Furthermore, because the radiation is injurious to the human body, it is necessary to avoid taking a rephotograph caused by an error in photographing, as possible.
Therefore, it is necessary to select the desired photographing condition for a short time. In order to select the photographing condition rapidly, it is thought to reduce the number of photographing conditions to be displayed. However, if the necessary photographing condition is not displayed, the photographing itself may be not taken. On the other hand, because the necessary photographing condition differs with a user, many photographing conditions which are not used by the user are included in the group of photographing conditions generated by extracting and selecting from master data including all photographing conditions. Further, because the photographing conditions to be displayed differ according as the photographing conditions are used continuously, it is necessary to edit the group itself of photographing conditions in order to always display the suitable photographing conditions.